Electric fuse



Feb. 6, 1934. B SMITH 1,945,539

ELECTRIC FUSE Original Filed Oct. 1, 1930 L5251 y/ 39 l 4/ BEDFORD K- SM/TH Gum/M Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITE? STATES PATENT QFFICE 485,731. Divider. and this application March 1, 1333. Serial No. 659,154

2 Claims.

(Cl. Si t-125i) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) My invention relates broadly to protective electric fuses and more particularly to a renewable fuse for the protection of electric circuits.

This application is a division of my application 5 Serial No. 485,731, filed October 1, 1930, now patent #1,.926ll67 and entitled Electric fuse.

One of the o jects of my invention is to provide a simplified construction of renewable fuse for protecting electric circuits which is inexpensive in manufacture and production and which may be refilled within minimum time without a large degree of skill.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of renewable electric fuse wherein the parts which house the fuse may be displaced one relative to another for receiving a renewal fuse and thereaf er closed upon each other for housing the renewal fuse.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a simplified construction of renewable fuse having an insulated housing with parts pivotally mounted with respect to each other and movable to a position for receiving and housing a renewable fuse in combination with means for establishing electrical connection with opposite ends thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of renewable fuse in which parts of the fuse may be assembled or disassembled by hand without the employment of tools.

A still further object of my invention is to pro vide a construction of renewable fuse in which a pair of longitudinally extending insulated memhere have means for pivotally connecting said members at one end for swinging movement one with respect to the other with a channelway, therebetween in which a renewable fuse may be inserted in the event that a fuse is burned out,

the parts being opened to receive the fuse and subsequently close upon each other for housing the fuse in operative position.

Qther and further objects of my invention reside in the design of a renewable fuse set forth in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan View of the renewable fuse of my invention showing the parts of the housing open with respect to each other for receiving a replacement fuse; 2 is a cross-sectional View taken through the fuse of Fig. l with the parts shown in assembled relation; Fig. 3 is an end view of the fuse housing looking in the direction of the pivotally connected members at the end of the fuse housing; and Fig. 4.- s a cross-sectional view taken through the fuse housing on line 4-4 of 2.

My invention is directed to a simplified construction of renewable fuse plug capable of economic manufacture on a quantity production basis and adapted to be readily refilled after rupture of the fuse. I have had considerable experience with many different types of renewable fuse plugs. Heretofore, manufacturers in endeavoring to produce a renewable fuse plug, have rendered the construction thereof so elaborate that the filling and refilling operation requires the use of tools and the expenditure of a substantial time interval. in my construction of ren wable fuse plug, the parts are reduced to a minimum and the construction thereof so simpliiied that a renewal operation may be effected without employing tools. The renewal operation in the construction of fuse plug of my invention requires only a brief interval of time for an operation which may be performed by a simple sliding movement.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the fuse is constituted by a pair of insulating housing portions 1 and 2 which are pivotally connected one with respect to the other and are adapted to be opened for the discharge of the burned out portions of a fuse and the replacement of a renewal fuse. The parts of the housing may then be swung to a closed position and the fuse assembled for reinsertion in the fuse plug.

I provide a ferrule shown at 33 divided into parts 33c and 33?) secured to the insulating housings l and 2 and pivotally connected as shown at 34. The end cap 35 is removable from the ends of casing portions 1 and 2 enabling the casing portions to be swung apart with respect to each other as represented in Fig. 1. The lower insulating casing 2 provides a support for the fuse 3% which contacts with rivet members 3'? and 38 at opposite ends of the fuse completing connection to the end ferrule 33 and end cap 35. The brush members 39 and 40 carried by the portion 33b of end ferrule 33 and the end cap 35 serve to press the fuse 36 into electrical connection with the rivets 3'7 and 38 thereby maintaining the fuse in position for completing the electrical circuit therethrough. A chamber 41 is provided in the upper portion 1 and gases and excess pressures are relieved from this chamber through ports 42 in the end ferrule and end cap as indicated. The edges of insulating portions 1 and 2 are aligned by oiiset portions represented at 43 and 44 providing a tight housing for the fuse when the hinged par s a e brought into alignment with each other.

When the fuse is removed from the fuse plug, the end cap or ferrule may be slipped off, the parts 1 and 2 of the fuse swung open, the remaining debris from the burned out fuse 36 removed and a fresh fuse inserted by placing one end thereof in the slot 2a and under brush 39 and inserting the other end thereof in slot 2b. The parts 1 and 2 are then swung into alignment and the ferrule 35 reinserted over the aligned ends of the parts 1 and 2 of the fuse, the brush 40 sliding over the end of the fuse 36 and thus establishing connection with the end cap or ferrule 35.

The renewable fuse of my invention has been found extremely practical in its construction and practical in its operation. While I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention herein described may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. An electric fuse comprising a pair of semicylindrical members of insulating material adapted to register one with the other for forming a cylindrical housing, a channelway extending longitudinally through the housing, a divided cap member having parts pivotally connected for angular displacement in different horizontal and parallel planes and a separate cap member adapted to engage the opposite ends of said semi-cylindrical members when said members are longitudinally aligned, brushes carried by the opposite interior walls of said cap members and projecting into the longitudinally extending channelway, and a renewable fuse extending through said channelway and electrically connected at the ends thereof with each of said cap members.

2. An electric fuse comprising a pair of longitudinally extending insulating members, means pivotally connecting said members at one end for swinging movement in horizontal planes one with respect to the other, a channelway extending longitudinally of said members, a removable fuse adapted to be inserted in said channelway when said members are moved to an open position in different horizontal planes one with respect to the other, and means for retaining said removable fuse within said channelway when said members are moved to a position registering one with the other.

BEDFORD K. SMITH. 

